CRICKET
Sri Lanka win fifth ODI
Kumar Sangakkara compiled a well-paced century to help Sri Lanka to a two-wicket win over South Africa off the penultimate ball in the fifth one-day international at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday. Sangakkara scored 102 from 97 balls as Sri Lanka, chasing South Africa’s 312 for four, reached 307 for five with only six runs needed off seven balls, but they contrived to lose three wickets in the space of four deliveries, before Sachithra Senanayake struck left-arm spinner Robin Peterson high over mid-wicket for six.
RUGBY UNION
Edinburgh make quarters
Edinburgh advanced to the Heineken Cup knockout stages for the first time in eight years when they beat London Irish 34-11 on Sunday, while English champions Saracens battled past Treviso 26-20 to secure their quarter-final spot. Edinburgh’s reward was a home quarter-final against Toulouse. Saracens, England’s only representatives in the last eight, will host French side Clermont Auvergne. Zimbabwe-born US international Takudzwa Ngwenya scored a hat-trick in Biarritz’s 36-5 win over Ospreys, while the other Welsh club, Cardiff Blues, fared better, booking their quarter-final away to Leinster with a 36-30 victory over Racing Metro 92.
ALPINE SKIING
Deville snatches first win
Italy’s Cristian Deville snatched his first World Cup slalom victory in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Sunday. The 31-year-old skied two solid runs on the Ganslern course to win in a combined time of 1 minute, 39.19 seconds. Deville, who had never made it onto a World Cup podium before this season, beat veteran Austrian Mario Matt by 0.72 seconds. Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic was a safe third, a further 0.06 seconds adrift, and he returned to the top of the overall standings. Kostelic, the World Cup defending champion, made two big mistakes, but he secured victory in the super-combined event, which took into account Saturday’s downhill.
ALPINE SKIING
Kirchgasser triumphs
Michaela Kirchgasser of Austria won a World Cup slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on Sunday after pre-race favorites Marlies Schild and Maria Hoefl-Riesch skied out on the first run. Kirchgasser finished in a time of 1 minute, 47.25 seconds, more than 0.6 seconds faster than Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen. Veronika Zuzulova of Slovakia was third, 1.34 seconds off the pace. World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn struggled at the bottom of the course, as she did in Saturday’s giant slalom, but managed a seventh-placed finish.
GOLF
Wilson claims fifth title
Mark Wilson clinched his fifth USPGA Tour title by two shots at the Humana Challenge in La Quinta, California, on Sunday, finishing in style with a 10-foot birdie putt at the last. The 37-year-old American, three strokes clear when the weather-delayed third round was completed earlier in the day, signed off with a three-under 69 on the Palmer Private course at PGA West.
GOLF
Grace wins playoff
South Africa’s Branden Grace beat his more experienced countrymen Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a playoff to win the Volvo Golf Champions in George, South Africa, on Sunday. Grace birdied the first playoff hole at The Links at Fancourt to claim his second consecutive victory on the European Tour, having won last week’s Joburg Open. Both Els and Goosen parred the hole.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
BRING THE NOISE: Brazil’s Fonseca attracted a boisterous crowd that brought such dominant soccer-style energy the referee switched to Portuguese to ask for quiet Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday put an end to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca’s challenge at the Miami Open, outlasting the 18-year-old 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an enthralling contest. Attendance on stadium court had been sparse throughout the day, but the Hard Rock Stadium turned into a mini-Maracana Stadium for Fonseca’s match, complete with Brazilian flags and soccer-style chanting. Fonseca brought his energetic brand of ultra-attacking tennis, but De Minaur was up to the challenge, coping with blistering forehands and a partisan crowd. Such was the dominance of Fonseca’s raucous support that the referee switched to Portuguese for his appeals for quiet. However, De
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